This invention generally relates to fixtures for supporting and transporting articles during a manufacturing process and, in particular, to a fixture for retaining and masking an encapsulated window assembly during a painting process and subsequent operations.
In the prior art, there are many means and methods for retaining windows in the body of an automobile. In particular, where the sheet of glass is to be fixed in an opening, some form of adhesive is utilized to adhere the edge of the sheet of glass to the periphery of the opening and then clips and moldings are utilized to cover the joint between the glass and the vehicle body.
The prior art assembly methods are now being replaced by a method utilizing a window assembly having its peripheral edge encapsulated in a preformed gasket. Thus, the new window assembly can be installed in an opening in a vehicle body utilizing adhesive without the previous requirement for trim strips or other articles to cover the joint between the window assembly and the vehicle body. However, the gasket is typically formed of a urethane material which is sensitive to ultraviolet light. If the gasket were to remain exposed, it would soon begin to discolor and deteriorate. Thus, the exposed surface of the gasket is typically coated with a protective urethane based paint. The urethane based paint is compatible with the urethane gasket, but resists the detrimental effect of ultraviolet radiation.
Since the exposed surfaces of the gasket represent a very small portion of the total surface of the window assembly, there is created a problem of adequately supporting the window assembly during the painting operation while masking the surfaces which are not to be painted. Furthermore, the paint typically contains an isocyanate which is toxic and requires a relatively long curing time. Thus, any fixture utilized to handle the window assembly must be available during painting and drying. Furthermore, since the paint is unhealthy for humans, the painting operation is typically performed by robots and the fixture must be designed so as to allow access by a painting robot to the surfaces to be painted.